kynoid

Kynoid refers to any being whose body structure resembles
that of a dog especially in the context of science fiction
and fantasy fiction. It usually refers to sentient beings,
while the rest is described with "canidae". The term
(originally, in Russian) was coined by Arkady and Boris
Strugatsky in their 1979 sci-fi novel Beetle in the Anthill
(translated into English in 1980) to describe the
extraterrestrial sentient species nicknamed "Headies".
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Usually, a fictional kynoid species has four legs (all of
them primarily used for walking, although other purposes,
like fighting, are not excluded) or two legs and two paws
(used for wielding instruments and weapons), a tail and a
canine head. Very often kynoids possess also the ability to
speak and communicate - even if only in their own language.
Other details, like size, weight, fur color (if any), even
the shape of the head, may differ from species to species.
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In sci-fi universes, kynoids are generally shown as specimen
of entire alien races, while in fantasy worlds they tend to
appear as single supporting characters. Because dogs are
assumed the human's best friend in the animal kingdom, many
books and movies feature a kynoid as a partner and a
friend-in-need of a human character, although wolves are
often presented as adversaries. The common image of a
werewolf can also be classified as kynoid (in the animal form).